Victim in Mother-in-Law Shooting Alleged to Have Made Threats in Past

The story of what happened on the front lawn of Cheryl Hepner's Tamarac last week is capturing national headlines -- that's what happens when investigators say they have audio that reveals a deep family disturbance that ends in near-fatal gunfire.

As we dig into the past and present of the players involved, we begin to learn new and disturbing details about this family drama that centers around an innocent 3-year-old child.

Court records show Vicki Miglino, the wife of the victim, Salvatore Miglino, received a temporary restraining order against her husband in 2009.

In a report peppered with four-letter words, Vicki Miglino described how Salvatore called her one day in early September 2009 and accused her of scratching his car.

"I'm going to kill you for f------ doing this," Vicki quoted Salvatore as saying. "You ruined my car."

Vicki alleged that Salvatore called her his "only enemy," told her to leave his home and continued his threats to kill Vicki.

A few months later, a judge dismissed the restraining order and divorce proceedings for the couple began.

Those divorce proceedings continue. Broward Sheriff's detectives believe the bad blood from the divorce is a large part of what led to the shooting on Hepner's property.

Hepner is accused of pulling a gun on her son-in-law and shooting him twice when he came to pick up his son for court-ordered visitation.

In the audio  recording, Salvatore is heard screaming after the shots were fired, "I can't believe you did that. I can't believe you shot me."

Hepner told detectives a different story -- that Salvatore shot her. She BSO that Miglino had tried to shoot her but she knocked the gun out of his hand, picked it up and shot him instead.

However, detectives said the recording on Salvatore's cellphone proved that Hepner was lying.

Court records show that the day after the shooting, Hepner and Vicki Miglino filed petitions for restraining orders against Miglino.

Vicki Miglino wrote in her petition that "Sal was (at the home she shares with her parents) to pick up (their son) and had a gun with him in the car."

Cheryl Hepner told a similar story in her petition.

BSO says on the evening of the shooting, Vicki Miglino was out having pizza with her son when Salvatore came to the house to pick up the child.

As for the gun, BSO tells me they are still working to determine who owns the weapon.